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Signs at Spanish beaches warn English-speaking tourists to stay away
(www.independent.co.uk)
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this post was submitted on 19 Aug 2023
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The "learn a language before traveling" always seemed like gatekeeping to me. I've traveled a decent bit, and I would not have had the time to learn a dozen or so languages. Especially when you have to learn entire new writing systems. I'll learn a little bit while I'm visiting because I'm immersing myself.
if someone wants to study another language, all power to them. But it shouldn't be a barrier from experiencing other cultures.
Learning a few phrases is not going to help you with the language barrier. Suggestion to become fluent enough for conversation before visiting a foreign country is just absurd lol
It's clear that ppl in this thread have never attempted to learn a foreign language as an adult huh
And they’ve probably never travelled outside of English speaking counties.
I’d have to be a genius to speak the language of every country I’ve travelled to, and that’s ignoring the countries that have several distinct and active languages (looking at you, Austria…)
Let me guess, it's all use the same writing system, from the same background (germanic languages).
I mean learning 2 languages isn't hard but to learn one spending so much time to get fluent enough to converse just for your one week trip is just stupid on multiple levels
I'm not saying you shouldn't try to learn language while you're there, I'm saying the requirement of learning before you travel is counterintuitive for wanting people to experience other cultures. I think it's detrimental to try to force or shame people into learning the language before travel, you'll end up discouraging people from traveling. They'll just stay in their own bubble and not experience other cultures.
Yeah but that doesn't really help if you're planning on going through Europe where if you drive for 7 hours you can interact with three different languages and 5 different cultures. If you're gracious, polite, and not a pain in the ass you should be able to move through a country without being spit on or treated as less than. Especially on a continent where the majority have some profencisy in English
Of course this article is specifically talking about English and German tourist. The most loud and obnoxious (English lads) and arrogant (considered the most arrogant in the EU) Germans
For shits and giggles I’m going to list the countries I’ve travelled to:
France, Spain, Greece, Austria, Italy, Finland, UAE, Dubai, Qatar, India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand, China, Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore, Philippines, Palau, Malaysia, Indonesia - then Australia, US and Canada which don’t count for this I guess. I’m possibly missing one or two, I’m tired.
So, I’m supposed to have learned the language, and respective writing systems, of each of these places before going there?
I guess I should just quit my job and take up learning language full time…. Either that or just stay at home so that I don’t get ridiculed for being an ignorant tourist.
The small text is in Catalan (not Spanish). I'm curious how many people learn more than Spanish before going to Spain .
So you'd be cool with people doing this in Spanish on Texas and Florida beaches right? And I mean people should definitely never travel to a foreign place without a decent grasp of the local language. Not like world exploration is something that can be a life altering experience. Or could help people empathize with different types of culture. Nope. Everyone should stay in their own little bubble. And honestly that applies to states, districts, etc. Hell even towns. Because Alabama and California are super different and have different customs. But even Houston and Austin Texas are way too different to go into each other's areas without having a firm grasp on local customs. Barcelona and Aragon are so very different that many of them don't even speak the same language. One of my neighbors and I don't get along real well. Perhaps we should really only stay in our houses.
No, because in the US we have a different legal and cultural stance on language.
On the topic, what do you recommend to learn another language for a trip. I have one next year and wanna try to be decent
Immersion. News in target language. Childrens TV in target language. Besides that, any resource. After a month or even two of immersion only and intent listening, begin studying for real. Nit 5 minutes a day but rather 30 minutes. You can reach basic fluency in 6 - 9 months, and then before your trip ensure you learn more specific grammar and vocab in topics you feel you need.
Rofl…
Let me guess… you’re American and ‘travel’ to you is a quick trip across the border
I’m not sure how many Cambodians are wandering around rural UK, and I’m fairly certain that Duolingo doesn’t have Khmer.
Guess I’d better cancel my trip.
Ahhh it’s a lot easier to learn through immersion if you live there ;)
(A Brit who has lived in two other countries). I’m well aware of the resources on the internet. I’m also aware of the fact that this issue with the signs has bugger all to do with language barrier and everything to do with the people visiting being ignorant and inconsiderate tourists.
You are better off brushing up on the culture than you are the language. Simply looking at the sign through your phone camera would automatically translate it for you - yet another internet resource ;)
Amazing amount of strawmans saying they need to learn the entire language and not a small amount of it, as you clearly stated.
How much is "a bit" ? I've got the hiragana, the katakana, a few Kanji and all the korewa, sonowa etc grammar rules. Will it be enough to visit Tokyo? No. But the way it works is sometimes a stupid attempt at speaking will trigger the "poor ~~stupid~~ helpless tourist" reaction that gets you help, which you won't get if you don't make yourself "vulnerable" as people say today, but do the opposite: implicitly demand that others make themselves vulnerable to you.